DAFFODIL INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, VOLUME 4, ISSUE 2, JULY 2009
53
IMPACT OF CONSISTENT FIBRE PROPERTIES ON
OPTIMIZATION OF FABRIC BARRÉ
Md. Sanuwar Rashid
Department of Textile Engineering
Daffodil International University
E-mail: sanuwar_69@yahoo.com
Abstract: Cotton is a natural fibre. It’s growth
depends upon the seasonal weather, climate
condition and affection of paste and insects. So
the properties of cotton fibres vary not only from
lot to lot but also in same lot. The properties such
as Micronaire, color grade, maturity measure the
ability of dye absorbency of fibre. So if there is
high variation of these properties in cotton then a
significant variation of dye absorbency in fabric
is observed. So the fabric, made form cotton yarn
having inconsistent properties, generate complain
of barré marks known as patta to our local
people. To eliminate or minimize the problem of
barré we must have to ensure the uniform
distribution of cotton properties throughout the
yarn
manufacturing
stages.
And
Bale
Management is the procedure of determining mix
laydowns by maintaining an appropriate
combination of cotton properties with consistency
through several mixes. Short and long term
variation of fibre properties with in and between
mixes is responsible for fabric barré which is
possible to avoid by bale management.
Keywords: Barré, micronaire, color grade,
immaturity, mixing, laydown.
1 Introduction
In textile production, one of the most
common and often perplexing quality control
problems is barré – repetitive yarn direction
streaks. Approximately 70% of barré problem
in finished fabric originate from the presence
of fibre in yarn having a wide range of
various properties, as like Micronaire,
yellowness(+b), and
Reflectance(Rd),
immaturity(IFC). Another 10% problem is
contributed by the fluctuation of processing
parameter of yarn manufacturing stage [1].
So yarn manufacturer often faces complain
from further processing zone of barré marks
where as barré problem is not only caused by
yarn manufacturing zone, the related causes
may implies in tension variation of circular
knitting machine or not uniform dye fixation
in fabric surface. The return of goods (Yarn)
to the producer with a replacement claim is
usually quite costly. So it is very necessary to
take to take steps in this regard.
2 Definition of Barré
The noun “barré” is defined by ASTM as an
unintentional, repetitive visual pattern of
continuous bars and stripes usually parallel to
the filling of woven fabric or to the courses
of circular knit fabric. In a warp knit fabric,
barré normally runs in the length direction,
following the direction of yarn flow. Barré
can be caused by physical or optical or dye
differences in the yarn, geometric difference
in the fabric structure or by any combination
of these difference.
According to The Textile Institute "fabric
barré comprises of unwanted stripes in the
woven fabrics in the direction of the weft.
This fault also appears in weft knitted fabrics
Usually on a multifeeder machine and
consists of light or dark course-wise stripes
arising from differences in luster, dye-affinity
(unlevel dyeing) in the yarn, yarn spacing or
loop length, yarn linear density or defecting
plating” [2].
3 Causes of Barré
The varied and diverse causes of barré can
generally be summed up in one wordINCONSISTENCY. An inconsistency which
leads to barré can originate from the spinning
mills in one or more of the following
categories
• raw material (Fibre),
• yarn manufacturing process,
• lot wise yarn supply
With these three categories, factors which
may cause or contribute to barré were
introduce in [3] and are listed below:
3.1 Raw Material Fibre
Raw material is received in warehouse
according to lot wise. Each lot of cotton owns
some specific quality characteristics which
54
RASHID: IMPACT OF CONSISTENT FIBRE PROPERTIES ON OPTIMIZATION OF FABRIC BARRÉ
do not match with other lot. Different origin
of cotton possesses different Micronaire
value and different color grade. So we have
to
make
efficient
blending
(bale
management) on the basis of permutation and
combination of different lot to achieve
average and consistent quality parameter,
because fabric barré can be generated by the
following:
1. Failure to control fibre diameter
(micronaire) from laydown to laydown &
too high C.V. of micronaire in the
laydown
2. Failure to control the range of fibre color
in each laydown (Rd, +b)
Seasonal influence during cotton growth,
including the influence of weather and
climate or infestation by insects or fungi may
also be responsible for barré effect. We also
ensure the satisfactory level and range of
maturity ratio or immature fibre content
(IFC) for each laydown to get a constant dye
fixation ability of fabric.
3.2 Yarn manufacturing process
1. Variation in carding; Different amount of
non lint content removal from card to
card.
2. Poor blending of fibre in opening through
finisher drawing.
3. Running different types of spindle tapes
on ring spinning frame.
4. All cots running in a given set of ring
frame producing yarn for the same end
use should exactly the same.
3.3 Lot wise yarn supply
1. Mixing of yarns of different count &
spinning system & different blend level.
2. Mixing yarn of different twist level or
twist direction.
3. Mixing yarn with different degrees of
hairiness.
4. Excessive back winding or abrasion
during this process.
5. If yarns are conditioned then each lot
must be uniformly conditioned.
4 Properties Related with Barré
The contractual parameter, by which a lot of
cotton consignment is bought, are length in
inch, strength in gm/tex, Micronaire and
color grade. Among these, length and
strength are responsible for (i) hairiness level
(ii) the strength of yarn (iii) efficiency of
various stage of spinning mills. But they are
not directly related with the dye take up% or
dye fixation of yarn or fabric on further
processing. So we have to emphasis on other
two properties, eg. Micronaire and Color
grade due to their direct affection on dye
absorbency and these were introduced by [4]
4.1 Contribution of MIC in fabric Barré
Micronaire is a measure of fibre fineness and
maturity. An air flow instrument is used to
measure the air permeability of a constant
mass of cotton fibres compressed to a fixed
volume. Figure 1 can be used as a guide in
interpreting micronaire measurements.
3.4 &
Below
3.53.6
3.7-4.2
Premium
range
4.34.9
5.0&
Up
Base Range
Discount Range
Fig. 1 Interpreting micronaire measurements
Micronaire measurement can be influenced
during the growing period by environmental
conditions such as moisture, temperature,
sunlight, plant nutrients, and extremes in
plant or boll population. Fibre fineness
affects processing performance and the
quality of the end product in several ways. In
the opening, cleaning and carding processes,
low micronaire or fine fibre, cotton require
slower processing speeds to prevent damage
of the fibres. Yarn made from the finer fibre
result in more fibres per cross section, which
in turn produce stronger yarn. Dye
absorbency and retention varies with the
maturity of the fibres. The greater the
maturity, the better the absorbency and
retention.
4.2 Contribution of Color in Fabric Barré
The color of cotton is determined by the
degree of reflectance (Rd) and yellowness
(+b). Reflectance indicates how bright or dull
a sample is, and yellowness indicates the
degree of pigmentation. A three digit color
code is used. The color code is determined by
locating the point at which the Rd and +b
values intersect on the Nickerson-Hunter
cotton colorimeter diagram for upland cotton.
The color of cotton fibres can be affected by
rainfall, freezes, insects and fungi, and by
staining through contact with soil, grass, or
the cotton plant’s leaf. Color can also be
DAFFODIL INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, VOLUME 4, ISSUE 2, JULY 2009
affected by excessive moisture and
temperature levels while cotton is being
stored, both before and after ginning. As the
color of cotton deteriorates due to
environmental condition, the probability for
reduced processing efficiency is increased.
Color deterioration mainly affects the ability
of fibres to absorb and hold dyes and
finishes. A color chart is taken in here from
[5] and shown in Fig. 2.
55
even for a year by the store department of
knitting mills. But it is quite possible to make
a claim on quality requirement of yarn even
after one year from the yarn purchasing date.
There is no way to get a prediction about
barré problem in yarn manufacturing stage.
Spinning mills always stay on risk at facing
barré problem from the further processing
zone; as like dyeing or finishing section.
6 Action to be Taken
Fig. 2 Nickerson-Hunter colorimeter diagram
5 Responsibility of Spinner
If barré problem on fabric is caused by fiber
preparation (mixing) or yarn manufacturing
stage then it’s not possible to take any
preventive action to optimize it because a
certain amount of yarn is all ready produced
from a specific lot of raw cotton. Generally
this barré problem may arise after some
month even after a year. Because, firstly the
yarn is purchased by any knitting mill, then it
produces knit-fabric from this yarn on a
suitable time. Its time suitability may be
depends on its order collection, shipment
date, machine availability, requirements of
further processing stage, over all buyers
demand etc. That’s why it is not impossible
to make storage of yarn for many months
Therefore, to avoid this quality concern
problem, quality department of spinning mills
has to take initiative from the beginning stage
of yarn manufacturing as like raw cotton
selection. High volume Instrument (HVI)
offered by Uster is used in our most of the
export oriented mills. By evaluating the raw
cotton test result delivered from HVI
machine, mixing is planned in such a way
that it is possible to avoid the problem.
As like if it is possible to ensure the uniform
distribution of average Micronaire of all lay
down then it should be assumed that number
of fibre in a given cross section of yarn is
also distributed uniformly [6]. By which
variation of dyeability of yarn is also
minimized. On the other hand if a wide range
of Micronaire value is present in a specific lot
then it is hard to maintain the average
Micronaire value in all laydown which results
in uneven distribution of fibre in the cross
section of yarn. It is mentioned in here that
each fibre in the yarn absorbs and fix dye to
it. That’s why number of fibre in yarn cross
section defined how light or deep the shed is.
If we want to get a same shed throughout the
fabric then it is necessary to exhibit constant
number of fibre in yarn cross section. And
this is only possible when we ensure the
constant average Micronaire for all laydown
of a same lot.
In the same way, we have to ensure the
representation of homogeneous color grade in
each laydown. A lot of cotton, where
thousands of bales may remain, has various
color grades from GM to BG and White to
Yellow stained. If it is possible to select the
bale for each laydown from the same lot
proportionally on behalf of its color then
uniform distribution will be established [7].
Let us consider a lot of CIS raw cotton of
approximately 500 tons having 2255 bales.
By plotting Mic values of each individual
RASHID: IMPACT OF CONSISTENT FIBRE PROPERTIES ON OPTIMIZATION OF FABRIC BARRÉ
56
Table 1 Average Micronaire 4.420 and Micronaire CV% 5.76
Mic
GM
(White)
GM
(Lt.Sp.)
GM
(Sptd.)
SM
(Lt.Sp.)
SM
(Sptd.)
M
(White)
M
(Lt.Sp.)
M
(Sptd.)
SLM
(White)
SLM
(Lt.Sp.)
LM
(Lt.Sp.)
1
3.0
Total
1
1
3.6
3.7
SM
(White)
1
2
2
1
3.8
1
3.9
3
4
9
1
1
6
2
4.0
32
12
4
24
7
1
17
4
4.1
68
44
40
44
14
3
26
6
3
10
1
4.2
82
66
38
54
12
10
22
7
3
4
2
4.3
74
25
17
47
8
2
23
5
2
4
1
208
4.4
113
12
2
66
8
31
10
5
4
251
4.5
173
15
2
104
12
32
3
2
4
4.6
122
11
85
19
27
16
1
3
1
286
4.7
90
11
2
82
18
33
2
8
4
1
252
4.8
42
4
1
47
7
17
11
7
1
4.9
22
1
21
3
5
1
4
5.0
5
5.1
1
5.2
1
6
5.3
Total
830
1
205
107
26
2
1
3
106
1
260
300
347
137
57
4
15
1
2
1
2
1
1
592
110
18
bale of this lot against it’s color grade, we
found table: 1. The data shown in table-1 was
originally adopted from a HVI cotton test
result of 2255 cotton bales [8]. Later the HVI
data was converted to a concise format by
means of a sorting software. This concise
format is shown in table-1. The original HVI
data which is available to the author is very
huge and beyond scope of publication.
It shows in table 1 that some bales are found
abnormal in accordance with their Micronaire
and color grade. Some bale shows low
Micronaire value (3.0-3.9) and some other
shows high Micronaire value(5.0-5.3). Some
of the bale are categorized as bad color grade
as like SM(spotted), M(sp.), SLM(lt. sp.)
LM(lt. sp.). Another important aspect is that:
the Micronaire value and color grade of some
bales are scattered due to their wide range
which shoot up the CV% of Micronaire value
beyond the limit. Therefore, it would be
effective for us to consider a specific
Micronaire range and also deduct the
individual bale of bad color groups. It is
assumed that by taking Micronaire range 4.04.9 and discarding the specific bales having
dull color as like SM(sptt.), M(sp.),
SLM(lt.sp) to LM (lt.sp) we able to form a
244
67
9
47
23
3
2255
polarized shape of above format which leads
to lower CV% of Micronaire value. And it is
shown in Table 2.
Then approximately 100 bales may be
deducted which is negligible. These deducted
bales may be utilized later for producing any
odd lot having lower quality requirement. By
segregating these odd bales we enable to
reduce cv% which help us to make a uniform
mixing where more consistency should be
achieved.
Now we assign bale management system
where 2152 bales are considered which is
about 475 tons in weight (each CIS bale
contain 220 kg yarn). It is possible to produce
approximately 350 ton and 400 ton yarns
from this lot for comb and card process
respectively. A medium capacity spinning
mill having production volume of 15 MT
have to continue this same lot for approx. one
month.
6.1 Constant Process Parameter
Before introducing the lot in production we
also have to make a spin plan which is
subjected through the whole month. We must
have to fix up waste segregation % at the
initial stage of production whether it is 7 to
15% for card process and 25 to 30% in
combed process.
DAFFODIL INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, VOLUME 4, ISSUE 2, JULY 2009
57
Table 2 Average Micronaire 4.424 and Micronaire CV% 5.42
Mic
GM
(White)
GM
(Lt.Sp.)
GM
(Sptd.)
SM
(White)
SM
(Lt.Sp.)
M
(White)
M
(Lt.Sp.)
SLM
(White)
Total
4.0
32
12
4
24
7
17
4
2
102
4.1
68
44
40
44
14
26
6
10
252
4.2
82
66
38
54
12
22
7
4
285
4.3
74
25
17
47
8
23
5
4
203
4.4
113
12
2
66
8
31
10
5
247
4.5
173
15
2
104
12
32
3
2
343
4.6
122
11
85
19
27
16
1
281
4.7
90
11
2
82
18
33
2
8
246
4.8
42
4
1
47
7
17
11
7
136
4.9
22
1
21
3
5
1
4
57
Total
818
201
574
108
233
65
47
2152
106
Same fibre lot having same process
parameter may generate barré problem due to
different waste segregation % for the two
different days. Because waste segregation%
indicates how amount of short and immature
fibre present in material.
It is recommended to follow a same process
parameter from blow room to simplex for a
lot. Process parameter which specially get
priority in this regard is like that: beater rpm
in m/min of blow room, production in kg/hr
of each carding machine, production speed of
each draw frame including constant leveling
intensity and leveling action point and
constant simplex speed and twist per inch of
roving [9].
Yarn of same count produced form same
cotton lot should have similar cross sectional
diameter with a CV% of yarn count to be
below 1 including uniform twist distribution
(TPI) of same direction (eg: Z- twist).To
make the package of yarn of same lot,
winding on speed should be same and in
tolerable range to avoid excessive hairiness.
It is also better to penetrate same percentage
of moisture regain to the yarn of same lot.
6.2 Selection of Bales for each laydown
The most sensitive issue is the bale selection.
Bale selection should be done in such a way
that it is possible to achieve smooth fibre
property variation with in a laydown and
across a series of laydowns. It is to be
mentioned that, this process is continued for
approximate one month. A medium capacity
spinning mill has to consume 80 to 90 bales
to get production of 15 MT per day. Depends
on their floor layout plan, if there is a
availability of space under bale plucker
machine they may able to accommodate all
bales (80 to 90 per day approx.) in a single
laydown. Otherwise they easily select two
mix-laydowns per day each having 40 to 45
bales and then the number of lay down is
above 50 (total bales no: 2152). Now the
matter is that: How they select these 40 bales
for each lay down where the prominence of
Micronaire and color grade is equal.
Now we are focused on table No. 2. There
are ten successive Micronaire values (4.0 to
4.9) in our selective range. To assure the
uniform distribution of Micronaire value it is
necessary to select the bales against their
Micronaire value in a proportional way
whereas, average Micronaire is constant for
each laydown with a limited CV%. After
that, we have to focus on color grade. The
bale numbers which are already mentioned to
be 40 or 45 for a laydown should be select in
such a way so that they not only represent all
these Micronaire value in equilibrium
proportion but also ensure the uniform
distribution of color grade. Actually the job is
easily performed by any sorting software.
If we able to distribute the bales in each lay
down homogenously in regard to their
Micronaire and color grade then it is possible
to minimize the variation of number of fibre
in yarn cross section. Each individual fibre of
yarn cross section absorbs dyes and finishes.
So, uniform number of fibre in yarn cross
section having homogenous Micronaire and
color grade expose the required shade after
dyeing without variation.
By performing this operation from initial
stage, we able to minimized fabric barré
problem.
58
RASHID: IMPACT OF CONSISTENT FIBRE PROPERTIES ON OPTIMIZATION OF FABRIC BARRÉ
7 Conclusion
Barré problem arises in fabric due to
fluctuation of number of fibres in yarn cross
section. And the Micronaire value of cotton
determines the no. of fibre in yarn cross
section. By performing the above procedure
for any cotton lot, it is possible to maintain
the average Micronaire value with a limited
CV% and also possible to distribute the color
grades uniformly against it’s Micronaire
value. So we can say unanimously that, the
above procedure of bale selection for each
lay down confirms the uniform distribution of
fibre in yarn cross section which leads to
minimize of fabric Barré problem.
References
[1] Yoseph M. Yankey, “The solution for controlling
fabric barré” 1996 Beltwide cotton conference,
USA
[2] Textile Terms and Definitions (tenth Edition), A
Textile Institute Publication, P 20.
[3] Cotton Incorporated “Barré”, Technical Bulletin,
1992 Published by USDA.
[4] Cotton division, USDA “The Classification of
Cotton” Agricultural Handbook 566
[5] Operating Manual “HVI Spectrum” published by
USTER, Switzerland.
[6] J. E. Booth, “Principle of Textile Testing”. P167.
[7] Gabriele Peters, “Application of AFIS maturity
measurement in cotton yarn manufacturing.”
Textile Month Oct’1998
[8] Above mentioned cotton lot is imported by Asia
Composite Mills, Gazipur and test was conducted
in their Q.C lab under Author’s supervision in
2007.
[9] Herbet T. Pratt, “Some causes of Barre", Knitting
Times, June 13, 1977 P18-22.
Md. Sanuwar Rashid is
working as a lecturer in
Textile
engineering
department
of
Daffodil
International University. He
obtained his B.Sc. degree in
Textile
Technology from College of
Textile Technology under University Of Dhaka in
2004. He has two years work experience on
cotton spinning technology.